St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-14
MATTERS IN MEXICO.
President DiaZ and the Pending
Constitutional Amend ment-- he
Dispute With the states.

CITY OF MEXICO. April 13.-The joint
committee of congress has reported in favor
OF the repeal of the amendment to the con-
stitutlOn forbidding the immediate re-elec-
ton of the president, and it is generally be-
lieved in political circles that the measure
Will pass through congress and go to the
state legislatures for their ratification. The
PartidO Liberal, which reflects the views of
the administration, takes significant ground
regarding the proposed change. and
cautions congressman not to act on
any suggestions as to the SEN
timents of President Diaz, but
rather to act on their own judgment as to
which is the best policy for the nation.
President Diaz absolutely refuses to conf
nit himself i'll the matter, and all state-
ments regarding his attitude are the merest
guesses Congress will again take up the
matter of the repeal of the duties ON print
ing paper, which weigh heavily on
the advancement of native literature. The
paper duties are not affected by the revision
of the tariff which goes into effect July l..
Gen. Negrete. the revolutionist recently ar
rested after the PRONUNCIATION of prOnun-
cianento, will shortly be tried by special
military court. In political circles he is
regarded as insane on the subject of over
turning the government and his punish
ment will probably be mild form of re-
straint. The course of the government in
publishing in the Diario OfficieI the CORE
spondence passing between Minister Mariscal
of the foreign relations department, and
Gen. Henry j. Jackson, formerly United
States minister here, in the matter of the
schooner Rebecca seized at TampicO on a
charge of smuggling. excited much COM
ment Only the letters passing between the
American minister here and Minister Maris-
cal are given, and the correspondence be-
tween Secretary Bayard aud Gen. jackson.
which is of especial interest, cannot, of
course. be given. AS Gen. Jackson's let
tiers are given in Spanish. the full force of
the language employed cannot always be
seen, as much depends on the original text;
but, While they are extremely courteous. they
insist strenuOusly that the United States
has right to decide whether there was a
denial of justice in the Mexican courts. In
one letter Gen. jackson says:
] should be most happy If 1 succeed in per-
suading your excellency to admit as a cardinal
principle of law the right of foreign gov
ernment, as q matter of last resource, to de-
eide that question for itself, and that this
right comprehends the exercise of power
which no sovereign can in any manner waive.
since there accompanies it a duty that no
government which maintains it's dignity or
esteems the opinion of humanity can fail to
fulfill.
The ground taken by the Mexican for
eign minister in his correspondence is that
there was no denial of Justice in the courts.
1t is the policy of the Mexican government,
as established in its recent treaties with
European powers, that before causes can
be taken up automatically they
must first be carried through the
regular legal channel The case was
practically given up by the American state
department by instructing Mr.. Morgan,
charge de atfaires, in May 1886, while Gen.
Jackson wasin Georgia on leave of absence,
that the United States government did not
assert that there had been fragrant de-
NAL of justice i'll the matter. But this
withdrawal of the ground taken by Gen.
Jackson was accompanied by protest
that the course of the Mexican government
had been harsh and oppressive, the secre-
tary OF state expressing regret that nothing
had been done to make proper amends
Therefore the Mexican government, con-
tending that its course in the matter was
not dictated by motives other than desire
to secure justice through the established
channels, gives the correspondence to the
world. $40